The Happiest (and Saddest) Countries in the World

The United States is a nation in decline. Last year the land of the free and the home of the brave came in 10th place in the annual rankings of World’s Happiest Countries. This year the U.S.A. has slipped to 12th.

This marks the first time in the six-year history of the Legatum Institute‘s Prosperity Index that America has not placed in the top 10.

The U.S. has slipped in the areas of Governance, Personal Freedom, and most troubling, in Entrepreneurship & Opportunity. The slide in that final category, according to the report, “is due to a decline in citizens’ perception that working hard gets you ahead.”
-------------
All the countries that rate higher in happiness have much stronger social safety nets than the U.S. and would be considered "far left" even by many "moderate" Democrats.

Hmm, could it be that the "moderates" are WRONG about what this country needs?

1. Norway's #1, but its COLD there!

The Legatum Prosperity Index is based on a study of 142 countries comprising 96% of global population. Nations are analyzed and ranked on 89 indicators in 8 categories such as education, government and economics. Per capita GDP — basically how rich a nation is — is a factor in the index, but the whole point of the Legatum study is to look beyond such a simple measure at all the myriad issues that make up wellbeing and prosperity.

In general, the most prosperous (thus “happiest” in my book) countries enjoy stable political institutions, a strong civil society with freedom of expression, good education and healthcare, personal freedom and a feeling of being safe and secure.

2. But they have nice warm homes

In addition, about half the country gets nearly 24 hours of light in the summer.

I was in the Trondheim area in July 2011, and it never got completely dark. I have a picture taken at 10PM with full sunlight, and the sun circling the horizon starting at about 11:30PM.

Of course, then there's Tromsø, way up north, where a former teaching colleague had a Fulbright. There the sun disappears in November and doesn't come back till February. On the day of the sun's return, everyone goes to a mountaintop east of town, waits for the sun to appear, and then the partying starts.